Non-selling fundraisers

[ScoutNut]

Our town does something similar with drug money.

 

All profits seized from area drug busts are divided up between the area's communities. Our town takes that money and uses it for youth and family programs (like the family night out program). It also gives some of it back to the area NFP groups, including Scouting groups. Each BSA unit, and GSUSA Troop, receive a portion based on the number of youth involved.

 

Now we all know that dealing drugs is against BSA rules. However, since no Scouts are actually doing the drug dealing, those rules do not keep our units from participating in this program, and receiving some additional funds for their youth.

[MDScoutMom]

I just checked, and no, they won't let us stand outside and hand out the flyers at the restaurant. Neither will the Home Depot or grocery store nearby. I have a feeling this is not going to be very successful because our troop is very small & I really don't know how motivated the boys are to hand this stuff out at school. It's like a self imposed fine; your troop is small, thus fund raising is more difficult but you also don't attract new members like the big troops do, so your troop suffers the real possibility of dwindling away.

 

IMPO, at least half the boys in the troop see the BSA as their secondary extra-curricular activity. Thus, if it is a choice between a sports game and a fund raiser event for the Scouts, the Scouts lose out, less money comes in, you know the rest.

 

I think another reason they have trouble getting the boys to participate is because the last few time we have done anything as a fund raiser, all of the money has gone into the troop account. Regardless of much a boy did or did not work for it, no money went into their scout accounts. I see those scout accounts as incentive for each but now they just don't see any such thing. It's not like any of them (except the senior patrol leader) comes to the committee meetings.

 

I would really love to hear it if anyone has ideas that are particularly good for SMALL troops.

[boomerscout]

to MD ScoutMom:

since your troop is small, you don't need to make big money to be effective. There are plenty of ideas on Scouter's fund-raising forums.

We never had much luck with the % of sales flyers. We had better luck when a restaurant allowed the Scouts & their parents to be waitstaff and busboys, dishwasher's helpers & restroom caretakers. Naturally, the restaurant gives you a slow night. Since our chartering org is a church, we got this mentioned at the service, had an info table set up near the entrance, spoke (casually) to social orgs some of the parents are also involved with. We picked a week when most of our members get paid (or get their social security). Have about a two week lead time

Best of luck

[SctDad]

Eagle92

 

Kinda glad that we did not sell any of that Snow Insurance. With the bad weather and freezing snow and sleet that we are getting today.

[SSScout]

Snow insurance...

Here in Mid MD, We presently have 8" of "little or no accumulation" and it is coming down steady, still.

Glad Scoutson's Troop went Rockwall climbing (indoor site!) this morning.

[Pint]

In the UK we have done a few bag packing sessions at a local supermarket ( US equivalent Wal-mart)

The Scouts are at the end of the checkout and help pack customers bags in exchange for an optional tip, usually paced in a bucket at the end of the checkout with the who they are and what the fund-raising is for placed on the bucket such as 123rd Loughbourough Scout troop fund-raising for Morocco 2010, or just fund raising for the troop.

The last time we did this we made over 1,000 in under four hours ( US $1,500)

[Eagle92]

Collecting used ink cartridges.

[dScouter15]

My troop has had good luck running a "sink a scout" dunk tank at either a town carnival or church picnic the past couple years. We generally make $700-$1000 after the cost of renting the tank. There's not much planning that goes into it, but here's some advice based on our experience:

 

- Obviously you want a location on the "midway", but make sure its near a water supply. Also, allow a couple hours to fill the tank from a normal garden hose.

- Close access to changing facilities is a plus, so scouts can change out of their wet clothes if they want - we've been able to arrange access either to the junior high school locker room, or restrooms in a church hall, depending on our venue.

- There's a bit of risk - you probably won't be very successful if the weather's not good, as that will keep people from showing up to the fair

 

That's about it really - very minimal time investment beforehand. We've had good luck running it as a patrol contest, where each patrol is assigned a time slot, and responsible for staffing the tank (with a victim and with money collectors/ball hander-outers, etc). The patrol that raises the most money during their time slot wins. Turns out a very effective advertising technique is when our scouts tell their non-scout friends when they're going to be on the "hot seat" - apparently teenager will have no problem paying a couple bucks to soak their friends.